Face-Off with Jen Turano

I am beyond excited to have the awesome Jen Turano facing off with me today. I want to win this! That has not been going exactly as I would like…

So, in light of Jen’s new book, I am going to be doing a review later today. She has also offered to give away a SIGNED COPY to one lucky winner. You may click on the Rafflecopter link as of 7:00am. Once there, you may enter as much as your little heart desires! This is a FANTASTIC prize, you aren’t going to want to miss it.

The rules are simple: I ask Jen some random questions. She replies and then I give my answers. Each winning answer is worth one point and I get to decide whose answer is better.

It’s my blog.

Here we go!

1. Do you enjoy shopping, or do you just go into a store when you have to and go straight to the item you want?

Jen – Since I had a career in retail before I had my son, no, I would not claim to enjoy shopping. After a person spends so many hours in stores or at merchandise marts, well…I have a completely different perspective regarding stuff – Not that I don’t enjoy a good handbag or a pair of fabulous shoes – but I don’t linger around the racks when I decide I need to refresh my wardrobe.

Charity – Um, YES. I Absolutely believe in retail therapy. However, since I am sick a lot, that puts a bit of a damper on things, now doesn’t it? But, I could spend the whole day shopping (if I was ALONE…ie: no kids).

— I am giving myself that point!

Charity 1 / Jen 0

2. Who is your favorite fictional character (book, movie, whatever)?

Jen – I absolutely adore Sugar Beth Carey from Susan Elizabeth Phillips book – “Ain’t She Sweet.” She was crafted so perfectly that I still enjoy that book to this day, even after having read it numerous times. Think mean girl finally discovers a heart.

Charity – Sounds delightful!! I haven’t ever heard of it, but now I would like to read it. I think it is too hard to answer this! I can’t imagine where to start… Probably Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility. He is so dreamy because he’s patient and kind no matter the circumstances.

— Obviously Jen is a bit more cultured than myself, so she gets this point.

Charity 1 / Jen 1

3. Have you ever been under a waterfall in those neat caves they have behind them in movies?

Jen – I have not, although when I was younger, my father used to love to fish at this creek – Sunfish Creek. It was out in the middle of nowhere, and…there were caves formed in the hillside and water from the creek disappeared into them. Well, that was far too fascinating for us to ignore, so my sister and I would swim into the opening, although we never traveled far since it was entirely too dark and creepy once you got into the caves.

Charity – Oh my goodness gracious. That is so cool. I haven’t even come close!! I would love to. It sounds so romantic and beautiful, but it’s probably just dark and full of bats 8-/

— Definite point for Jen

Charity 1 / Jen 2

4. Did you ever wake up your kid/kids in the middle of the night to do something fun like play “hide and seek” in the dark?

Jen – My one and only child, Dominic, was never a good sleeper as an infant or toddler, so when he finally did sleep through the night, there was no way I would even consider waking him up – not even to do something fun – because what would happen if he decided to abandon sleep once again?

Charity – Oh man. I can imagine. Luckily, my boys are good sleepers and I have, on occasion, gotten them up with glow sticks and said, count to 100 and then find me!

— I WIN!!

Charity 2 / Jen 2

5. When you were in college, did you play pranks on the dean or the staff?

Jen – I’m not really a prank-playing kind of girl, although I did enjoy my college years, but I was more on the lines of the typical sorority girl than a prankster. I could normally be found wearing a pink Alpha Phi sweatshirt paired with a lovely bow in my hair – inspired by early Madonna MTV videos – remember when MTV actually played music videos? Wow, that right there shows you that I’m….old.

Charity – Well, I remember that too, so you certainly aren’t aging yourself in young company. I was trouble with a capitol T. I did not like the dean, thus I tried to drive him as crazy as possible. I would fill out those “free stop bed wetting magazines” and send them to his house…amongst other horrendous things.

— Classy always wins

Charity 2 / Jen 3

6. Do you love Ikea? If so, favorite thing you have bought from there?

Jen – Surprisingly enough, I loathe Ikea – I’ve only been there a few times and did not care for it in the least and have not bought a single item there. But, my loathing of the place might be because of my love of old-fashioned department stores – especially the ones that used to anchor downtown areas. They always had the coolest elevators, Christmas window displays, beautiful décor, and one mustn’t forget the tea rooms. The cafeteria at Ikea just can’t compete with a tea room.

Charity – I think a little piece of my heart just broke off. Ikea is my favorite store in all of the land. In fact, my entire house is one big Ikea showroom. ha ha. I do know what you mean about the old department stores. My mom lives in upstate NY and they still have a Boscovs there that is just like you described. I love going to visit.

— I am sorry, but I could never award a point to an Ikea hater.

Charity 3 / Jen 3

7.How do you feel you are bringing God the most glory through your writing?

Jen – By writing amusing tales that will, hopefully, allow readers a bit of an escape from their troubles, I believe that God has allowed me a means to bring Him into my storylines in a manner that readers will enjoy. Life isn’t all about hardships and despair, and occasionally we need to be reminded that God probably expects us to find enjoyment in our lives, no matter the problems we might be facing.

Charity – I would completely agree with that since all the verses with suffering seem to mention something about being joyful and not trying to get out of it prematurely. I supposed that’s what sets a Christian apart.

— God wins.

8. The covers of your books are ALWAYS so beautiful! To me, that is 90% of how much I will like the book (Ok, maybe not that high of a percentage…but it’s close!) How do you get the ideas for them and make them so perfect?!

Jen – I would love to be able to say I’m responsible for my covers, but that’s really not the case. I send my editor a character and scene sheet, describing my heroine and settings that are important to the story. She then takes it to the design team and they begin plotting out the cover. They send me a proof of the cover everyone likes the most, and we go from there. Interestingly enough, a lot depends on what models are available when shooting the cover is scheduled. Sometimes there simply aren’t any models around who resemble Grace Kelly, no matter that I might have had Grace in mind as I wrote one of my stories.

Charity – That is cool! I didn’t really know what that process was like. Well, you have an AMAZING design team!

— easy win for Jen

Charity 3 / Jen 4

9. Lastly, which Jane Austen character do you connect with the most? (as in, you are most like)

Jen – I’ve always been drawn to Elinor Dashwood in “Sense and Sensibility.” She’s far more complicated than anyone knows, especially since she doesn’t wear her emotion on her sleeve.

Charity – ahh, and I have always found myself to be Marianne. I suppose we would make great sisters (:

–tie

FINAL:

CHARITY 3 / JEN 4

I cannot believe that I ALWAYS lose! Well, almost always!!! ugh.

Well, that being said, BOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

(:

Thanks, so much, Jen! I had a great time doing this and getting to know you! Looking forward to your next book!!!!

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54 thoughts on “Face-Off with Jen Turano”

This was fun! I like the waking up your kiddo at night for something fun. I wish I could do that, but like Jen, I have a kiddo that would decide that was enough sleep and be up the rest of the night! 😃

Well, do it some night before they go to bed! Haha. Just turn the lights off and hide. They will be laughing and trying to figure out what’s going on. So fun. One time we couldn’t find my husband for an HOUR. We looked everywhere. Somehow he had gotten on top of the fridge and put a bunch of stuff in front of him (appliances and such).

This is the first book of her’s that I have read! Boy am I enjoying it!! It reminds me very much of a book by Anya Wylde called Penelope. You would probably enjoy that one too. I am very impressed with Jen. I look forward to reading many more!!!!!

You will really enjoy her series. I especially loved the last one. She has a pig it that book that will make you laugh!

I have always felt that stubbornness isn’t a bad thing as long as it is directed in a good direction. Your husband’s translating into his family is definitely a good thing! It is so wonderful to hear that you have such a neat family!

Guess I was suppose to comment with the part I liked about this face-off….I DO follow directions well most of the time, really I do! 😀 The getting up in the middle of the night with your kids with glow-sticks & counting to 100 was pretty amusing! I think by the time my kids would have found me after number 100 I’d be back asleep again..haha!! I’m a heavy sleeper so I doubt I would have made it 🙂 Thanks for the laughs ladies!

Ok, so according to the Rafflecopter I’m suppose to tell you in a blog comment what other book by Jen that looks most interesting…so here goes:
“A Match of Wits” looks good to me because I like stories where first loves meet each other somehow years later…this time it’s by Agatha who meets up with Zayne on her travels as a New York Tribune reporter. I can see trouble brewing now, lol! Would be a great read for me 🙂

So, I also like & follow Jen Turano FB page, follow & like your FB page & I am excited to read Jen’s book! She’s a new-to-me author, but I’ve seen rave reviews for her book so that makes me excited to want to read it! So many comments we have to leave for Rafflecopter….yikes! What do we put in the boxes? The name we commented in & our FB names…I get a bit confused as to what info must go there. Sorry, there must be an easier way to do this 😦

Love Jen Turano! I can’t put her books down once I start reading them. I love the way you formatted your interview, so much fun! My favorite part is the question and your answers to the Jane Austen question, not much more is needed to know a person than that!

So many comments to make from the rafflecopter! I haven’t yet read After a Fashion but it’s on my wish list. I don’t really have a favorite book, as I’ve stated before, I love all of Jen’s books. Thanks for having this giveaway.

You have some very creative questions! You made it very personal, different than most interviews. I particularly liked question #7 – “How do you feel you are bringing God the most glory through your writing?”. That’s the most important thing for a Christian author to focus on. That and “What message about God or His Word do you want to communicate to readers?” 🙂

So apparently we need to comment a few times! I’ve read all of Jen’s last series. I’m not sure which one my favorite was. I enjoy the laughing that comes with all of them. I’m pretty sure Piper is my favorite character. 🙂
I am definitely excited to keep following this author. I haven’t read this new one yet, but it’s “On Order” and “On Hold” at the library. 🙂

I loved the Face Off! What a fun way to get to know an author better. Hard to believe someone can hate IKEA, but I do miss the really cool department stores the way they used to be. Thanks for the great “competition”. 😃